


Avatar: Rivals of Fate

by kindfang



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Free!
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Avatar Fusion, F/F, Friendship, Haru is the Avatar, M/M, Nagisa and Ai are BFFs, Slow Burn, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-04-29 12:09:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5127056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindfang/pseuds/kindfang
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the council failed to find the new Avatar after sixteen years of searching, the cycle was thought to be broken. Haruka, content with his peaceful life in Republic City, did little to disprove that notion. Once his status is discovered, however, the change that he has feared all his life is upon him, for better or for worse. With the balance of the world and the lives of his friends on the line, the new Avatar is forced to face the destiny he has avoided for so long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been sitting in my drafts for over a year now, and NaNoWriMo's as good an excuse as any to brush the dust off and get it rolling again. So far, chapter one and part of chapter two are written, but everything else remains a (pretty detailed) outline on Google Docs. This story's going to be a long one, so buckle in and pray for this poor college student's soul.

Mrs Nanase swept the floor of her apartment, listening to the sounds of the city slowly going to sleep outside her window. Her grandson was already asleep in the storage closet turned bedroom, where he had been relegated after his parents decided to travel the world without him and left him here. Unlike Mrs Nanase and her son, Haruka was a waterbender, and a very skilled one at that. As long as he stayed out of trouble with it, Mrs Nanase didn’t bother to restrict his bending outside of the house. Haruka wasn’t exactly the troublemaking sort, anyway, so she didn’t worry all that much.

Even though she was a nonbender, Mrs Nanase could tell that Haruka had mastered his element alarmingly fast for a six year old; she couldn’t ever remember her daughter-in-law showing half of the raw talent Haruka possessed. And he was so solitary that it would have been a wonder if he’d approached someone with the intent to become an apprentice back when he was living at the South Pole.

Still, Mrs Nanase saw much of herself in him. It ranged from superficial things, like the color of his hair and his pale skin, to the more emotional, such as his tendency to almost never open up to someone without being prompted to. Her son and his wife, with their overly carefree attitudes, were perhaps not the best candidates to raise a boy so solemn.

A cut-off yelp and a muted crash jolted her out of her thoughts. Dropping her broom, Mrs Nanase hurried as quickly as she could to Haruka’s room, where she opened the door and immediately identified the smell of burning cloth. Haruka sat in the corner, covering his mouth and looking at the singed blankets with wide eyes.

“Haruka,” Mrs Nanase said accusingly, “Were you playing with matches in bed? You know you’re not allowed to touch those.”

Haruka turned his gaze to his grandmother and shook his head frantically. Haruka had never been a liar, so Mrs Nanase was left confused. Before she could begin a new line of questioning, though, he asked quickly, “Grandmother, I’m a waterbender, right?”

“Of course,” Mrs Nanase said, no-nonsense. “One of the most talented waterbenders I’ve ever met.”

Haruka swallowed hard, flicking his eyes to the bed and then back to her. “Then why… Why can I do this?”

Mrs Nanase froze, eyes locking onto the fire suddenly hovering over Haruka’s palm. Hadn’t the council said that the cycle must have been broken…? They had tests for these things, toys to identify the children with, so why…

“Haruka,” she said, “When you moved here, did your parents register you as a waterbender? Or did men ever visit you in your tribe to talk with you?”

Haruka paused at her urgent tone, screwing up his face in thought before shaking his head no. He had been overlooked; it was no wonder, now that the world was mixing more than ever before. The flame in his hand was still flickering brightly.

Mrs Nanase heaved a great sigh, and gingerly sat herself on her grandson’s bed. With a pat of her hand, Haruka was seating himself next to her, staring up at her with his large blue eyes. “Have your parents ever told you,” she began, “the story of the Avatar?”


	2. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which (most of) the ensemble is introduced.

In Republic City, dying rays of sunlight streamed through the windows of the Tachibana Tea Shop. Despite the approach of winter cooling the air outside, the inside of the shop was pleasantly warm, the sweet scents of jasmine and honey filling the air. The shop was never very busy, but it was never empty, either, and so the volume of noise remained at a relaxed sort of chattering among the customers.

The tea shop had been occupying the same bustling street corner for almost twenty years now. The owners, a kind-hearted woman and a man with a soft smile, opened it up hardly a year after they were married, and their three children had practically been raised serving tea. If a customer was unfamiliar with the rambunctious young twins, it was only because they were instead served by the twins’ teenage brother Makoto, a sturdy-looking earthbender with a gentle voice to match his gentle eyes. Many of the older customers had known him since he was the twins’ age, if not earlier.

The only employee outside of the Tachibana family was Haruka, though he might as well have been considered family anyway. One could not find Makoto without finding Haruka soon after, and vice versa; they were inseparable. Haruka hardly ever spoke, except to the Tachibanas, and was regarded as rather eccentric by those who interacted with him. But when he did speak, Haruka only ever spoke in truths, no matter how little one wished to hear them.

For all that Haruka was quiet and blunt to the point of rudeness, though, his tea was some of the best. The customers had several theories on why this was so: his late grandmother taught him her special recipes, his waterbending ability allowed him to manipulate the flavor somehow, or, some joked, he was actually a spirit who simply enjoyed serving tea. It wasn’t all that difficult to see how one might associate him with spirits; even among waterbenders, his eyes were particularly bright, and it often seemed as if he was looking off at things only he could see. For all his strangeness, though, Haruka was readily accepted by the community he served.

“Haru!” Makoto called, poking his head through the doorway to the kitchen. “Table five would like one jasmine, one green tea with honey, and a small plate of croquettes, please.”

“You don’t have to say ‘please,’ you know,” Haruka said as he moved to put another kettle on the stove to boil, making sure to not let go of the handle. “You’re not the one ordering.”

Makoto laughed sheepishly. “It would feel weird to order you around, though! It’s not like I’m your boss.”

Haruka rolled his eyes, and after pouring the tea and placing a couple of croquettes on a small china plate, he turned to hand Makoto a silver tray with the order arranged neatly on top. Makoto, as always, looked surprised.

“How on earth do you make the tea so fast?” he asked for what must have been the thousandth time.

“I’m just more efficient with my time,” Haruka said back, also for what must have been the thousandth time. At a small _ding_ , he brushed his bangs back from his face and opened the oven door to where a new platter of bamboo wafers were waiting. Makoto watched bemusedly as Haruka worked, only leaving when Haruka shot him a half-hearted glare and reminded him about the cooling tea in his hands.

Haruka waited for the sound of the door sliding shut behind him before he touched a fingertip to the metal of the wafers’ platter, sending a renewed wave of heat through it before the wafers could cool. Then, taking his own neglected cup of tea, he idly stirred it with the circular movements of one hand while the other restored just enough of the tea’s warmth for it to be drinkable.

Haruka had never liked lying, but he figured that as long as no one asked him about something, then he really wasn’t lying about it. Haruka was telling the truth whenever someone would ask if he was a waterbender, because that wasn’t a lie: he could bend water. If they didn’t think to ask about the other elements he could bend, well… that wasn’t his problem.

Besides, he thought, taking a long sip of his steaming tea, the world was doing just fine without him. Haruka figured that if he could just make it to twenty with nobody ever finding out, then he would be home free. More than anything, he wanted to be _ordinary_ , someone who could serve tea and chat with Makoto at work and go home at the end of the day to his small apartment in central Republic City.

The door slid open again and Makoto ducked his head back in the doorway, smiling and asking for three cups of ginger tea, _please_. Haruka sighed and put down his cup once more, wiping his hands on his apron as he pretended to boil another kettle of water on the stove. This time, when Makoto thanked him, Haruka gave him a small smile back and watched as Makoto very nearly fumbled the tray in surprise, laughing nervously as he closed the door behind him.

Haruka didn’t regret it, not telling anyone, and he wouldn’t as long as it meant he could continue to live like he was now.

* * *

 

Air Temple Island grew quiet as dusk sank into night, acolytes wandering either to their beds or personal meditation. Ai knew that he would be doing neither as he slipped tight, black robes over those of the Air Nation. He stood on a cliff overlooking Kyoshi Bay and the distant Republic City, a shining beacon just miles away. A smile tugged at the edge of his lips as he ran swiftly, silently back towards the temple.

The gliders were kept in storage rooms near the dormitories when they weren’t being used for practice. Ai had successfully borrowed one—he refused to admit that he was _stealing_ —countless times now, but he always ran the risk of alerting some trainee having trouble falling asleep. He was hyper aware of every movement as he pulled open the decrepit storage door, its hinges creaking in protest. A rustle in the undergrowth behind him sent a chill down Ai’s spine. He whipped around in a defensive stance, but there was no one to be seen. A few tense moments of silence followed, and not so much as a leaf dropped in the foliage. Ai figured that anyone wanting to stop him would show themselves, and turned back to his mission with an even more intense sense of caution.

Ai retrieved his glider, glancing around nervously as he resealed the room and made his way back to the bay cliff. As he ran, he swore he heard the old hinges whining again, but ignored the thought in favor of making his own escape. He picked up speed with each step, in a full sprint by the time he reached the cliff, the glittering city beckoning him from over the bay. He opened his glider as he neared the edge of the precipice, summoned a gust of wind to carry him up as he planted one foot against the rocky ground, his body coiling like a spring and surging forward—

Something latched onto Ai’s ankle, sending him swinging in a ninety degree arc, the only thing in his vision the fast approaching cliff-face. He was vaguely aware of the glider falling out of his grip, dropping into the choppy abyss below. Ai squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for a broken nose, or even a concussion, but before the pain came a burst of air lifted him back onto solid ground.  He took a shaky breath and opened his eyes, mind reeling. The first thing he registered was a pair of bright pink eyes only centimeters from his own. Nagisa?

“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, AI?” the boy sobbed, clutching Ai’s robes and pulling him into a sitting position. _Definitely Nagisa_. “I T-T-TRUSTED YOU, AND YOU,” Nagisa jabbed an accusatory finger in the middle of Ai’s chest , “YOU’RE SNEAKING OUT BEHIND MY BACK—” Ai regained his wits enough at least to clap a hand over Nagisa’s mouth.   

“Please, Nagisa! Someone might hear you!” He whispered frantically, casting a look around to make sure that no one had already.

Nagisa was still talking into Ai’s hand. “You could at least take me with you!”

Ai quickly shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

Nagisa gripped Ai’s arm and pulled it away. In a moment, his expression totally shifted from distraught sobbing to a mischievous smirk. Ai dreaded whatever idea Nagisa had surely formulated. “I’ll tell the Airmaster you snuck out.”

“You wouldn’t…!”

“Take me with you.”

“No way!”

Nagisa stood up, fists balled at his side. “I’m sorry, Ai. You leave me no choice.” He dramatically drew in a deep breath, and threw his head back as if to scream.

“Okay, okay!” Ai jumped up, putting his hands on Nagisa’s shoulders. “I’ll do it! Just be quiet!” Nagisa’s smile was so bright it could power all of Republic City by itself.

“THANK YOU! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK—” Ai had to cover Nagisa’s mouth again.

“What did I _just_ say?” He sighed, giving Nagisa a stern look. Nagisa narrowed his eyes and nodded solemnly, mimicking zipping his mouth. “Good.” Ai said, stepping back. “Now help me get another glider, since _someone_ made me drop mine.”

“Not happening!” Nagisa whisper-shouted, “I have a better idea! We’re taking Iwatobi!”

Ai opened his mouth in protest, but Nagisa had already withdrawn the little whistle around his neck, wood carved into the crude shape of a penguin hawk. It made no sound when he blew into it, but within seconds the massive beast was landing next to the boys. It was roughly the size of a badger mole, with a hawk’s lean body and the goofy face and webbed feet of a rockhopper penguin. Its eyes were an ominous glowing red, giving it a threatening appearance despite its benevolent disposition. Ai had no problem admitting that the thing creeped him out. Nagisa hugged it tightly, cooing ‘my baby’ and ‘I missed you’ in a high pitched voice. Ai cleared his throat.

“Right, sorry!” Nagisa stiffened, acting businesslike. “Iwatobi, we’re going on an adventure to Republic City so Ai can meet his secret lover!”

“Hey!” Ai flushed dark red, “I’m not meeting a secret lover!”

Nagisa looked disappointed. “Then why are we even going?” Ai hesitated, which Nagisa took as confirmation. “See, you don’t need to keep it from me, Ai! My lips are sealed.”

Ai groaned and covered his face. “It’s not—look, you’ll find out when we get there. Let’s just hurry before I’m late!”

Nagisa smiled wide, leaping up onto Iwatobi and extending his hand for Ai. “Ooh, a date! Don’t worry, I won’t follow you guys around, you just have to promise to let me meet them!”

Ai ignored Nagisa’s outstretched arm, propelling himself up onto Iwatobi with a gust of air instead. “Don’t worry, you will.” He frowned, wrapping his arms around Nagisa’s waist as Iwatobi took off into the night sky, already formulating a plan to lose Nagisa as soon as they landed.

* * *

 

Rei carefully placed his newly purchased sack of flour into his satchel, turning away from the merchant who had already started his haggling anew with another customer. The flour was the last item on his shopping list, but Rei found himself reluctant to return to his apartment just yet. The lights strung up between stands gave the bustling marketplace a warm glow, something that had always reminded him of the traditional festivals back in the Fire Nation. Rei wasn’t one to indulge in nostalgia, but the nighttime market was his one exception to the rule.

Moving to Republic City with his family three years ago had been one of the most jarring experiences of his life. The Fire Nation, even now, remained rather unmixed in its population. This delighted the purists, of course, but even a younger Rei could tell that it was time for a change of scenery. His father’s job that relocated them to Republic City was as good a change as any, and while his parents hadn’t been too eager to abandon their pride as Fire Nation citizens, Rei was delighted.

At sixteen, he was still seeing more and more of the city, eagerly giving money to street performers and buying woven bracelets from the children selling them in baskets for pocket change. Compared to the strict schooling and traditional meals of the Fire Nation, this city with its various degrees of cultural integration was an adventure.

Rei was jolted from his thoughts by someone running headfirst into his chest, causing the both of them to tumble to the ground, and he watched forlornly as his carefully arranged groceries were scattered under trampling feet. He turned to the person on top of him, intending to give a stern lecture about _watching where you’re going_ , but stopped cold as soon as he met the stranger’s eyes.

His face was almost pixie-like, with round cheeks and a pointed chin, inset with jewel-like eyes and framed by curly golden hair that gleamed like sunlight around him from the light of the lanterns. This close, Rei could see the laugh lines around his eyes, and the way his nose turned up just slightly at the end.

Rei had been run over by some sort of beautiful spirit, he decided.

And then the shock faded away, and Rei barely had time to realize that there was an irate shop owner yelling bloody murder before the boy on top of him had a finger pointed in Rei’s face, yelling, “It was him!”

Just as quickly as he’d appeared, the boy leapt off of him, leaving Rei with a clear view of the mess of fruits rolling in dozens around the street from a tipped-over vendor’s stall. The merchant, with his focus turned to Rei, now, took another furious step closer and Rei positively bolted.

In ten strides he was running alongside the boy, who was laughing delightedly. “Why did you blame _me_?!” Rei demanded, out of breath in his effort to keep up. “And why on _earth_ did you knock over a fruit stand?”

“Sorry!” the boy said, flashing Rei a smile. He hardly seemed out of breath at all. “I got separated from my friend, so I really don’t have time for that! It was an accident, anyway, so I don’t see why he was so mad about it!”

An angry shout and the sound of pounding footsteps from behind them had them running faster. Rei took turns praying to every guardian deity he knew of and cursing the boy next to him. He may have been beautiful, but he was _an awful person_. Just as they turned another corner, though, an arm was wrapped around Rei’s waist and his feet had left his stomach on the ground below him. Rei let out a strangled yelp, and then he was on top of a roof, of all things.

Beside him, the boy motioned for him to keep quiet, and they watched as the fruit merchant and several other men raced down the street below. Soon their voices faded, and Rei sighed in relief.

“That was fun!” the boy said, completely unfazed.

“I should have guessed you were an airbender,” Rei groaned, “Your footsteps were too light.”

“Yup!” the boy agreed. Windblown curls fell into his face as he nodded. “I’m Nagisa, by the way. Thanks for not turning me in back there!”

“Rei,” Rei said grudgingly. He collapsed onto his back. “Nagisa, I sort of hate you, even if you are cute. Why did you do that to--”

“You think I’m cute, Rei?” Nagisa’s eyes sparkled and Rei nearly bit his tongue.

“I-- no, I just-- you’re--”

“Hey, they’re on the roof!” came a shout from below.

“Well, for the record,” Nagisa said as he and Rei stood up and prepared to jump to the next rooftop over, “I thought the way you ran away with me instead of staying behind to clear your name was pretty cute, too, Rei!”

The cool nighttime air did nothing to diffuse the hot blush spreading across Rei’s face.

 

* * *

 

“We’re going to have to forfeit.” Sousuke grimaced, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the locker room wall. Mere minutes remained before the Shu Jing Shark Leopards were expected to enter the ring, and they lacked an alternate. Rin sat on the bench opposite him, clearly annoyed as well. The redhead had a temper nearly as hot as his firebending, and Sousuke didn’t envy the wrath Ai would face if they really did drop the match. Having shared an apartment with Rin for years, Sousuke was well accustomed to his friend’s screaming rants, but Aiichirou seemed more… fragile.

He had first met the young airbender after an embarrassingly bad pro-bending match that knocked the Shark Leopards out of the ranks for the season. He and Rin were an excellent duo, deadly fast water synchronized perfectly with searing blasts of heat, but a proper team needed a third member. And there was _always_ a problem with the third member. Whether their bending just didn’t flow with Rin and Sousuke’s, or there was a more personal clash—Sousuke was convinced that Rin _enjoyed_ starting arbitrary arguments—it was only a matter of weeks before each new Shark Leopard turned in their uniform and called it quits.

Sousuke had been standing outside of the locker room, running his fingers anxiously through his hair. Rin had a hand on Sousuke’s shoulder, too ashamed to display even a bit of his trademark rage. The earthbender they had fought with had booked it out of the arena in seconds, mumbling something about not wanting to deal with reporters. _Not wanting to deal with us_ , Sousuke thought with a frown. It was then, as Sousuke tried to ignore the noise of the announcer laughing into his microphone (“Well ladies and gentlemen, if I were you I’d see about refunding those tickets!”), that he first met Ai.

He was so small, so quiet that Sousuke nearly missed his request for an autograph. It wasn’t until Ai physically tapped Sousuke on the shoulder that he gained his attention—and then, Sousuke found it very hard to look away. Ai’s vibrant azure eyes were open fearfully wide, his silvery hair mussed from running his fingers through the strands. Sousuke didn’t realize he had been staring until the boy blinked and cast his gaze to the floor, face reddening.

“S-sorry! I was just… I really love your team, and it’s too bad you lost, but I thought I would just…” Rin cocked an eyebrow in an expression that seemed less than friendly, and Ai took a step back. “Right, sorry! This was a bad idea, have a good evening!” And with a quick bow, he was turning to run away.

“Do you want an autograph or not, kid?”  Rin clicked a pen impatiently, and Sousuke almost felt like explaining that his teammate was trying to be friendly.

Apparently, he didn’t need to say anything, because when Ai turned back around his face was _glowing_. Sousuke fixed his sight steadily on the opposite wall and willed his pulse to slow down.

The rest of the conversation consisted of “Thank you!” and “You guys are my heroes!” over and over again, but Sousuke couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed; Rin definitely didn’t mind reveling in the praise Ai was heaping on. At some point or another, the trio left the arena together and found themselves on a walk in City Park.

Ai revealed that he was a member of the Air Nation, and then, more shamefully, that he had been sneaking out past curfew to watch their matches. Rin laughed, clapping Ai on the back. “If you’re that dedicated, maybe you should just join the team!”

Ai stiffened, and Sousuke could tell that Rin’s suggestion was all this kid had ever hoped for. Then again, using half-rate earthbender substitutes wasn’t ideal, but… “After you’ve proven that you can handle it,” Sousuke said, raising his eyebrows.

Rin shrugged, “Look at him, Sou. He can take _anything_.” Sousuke glanced doubtfully at the 5 feet and 6 inches of skinny teenager smiling hopefully at him.

Fifteen minutes later, Sousuke was lying on his back with a bad headache and copious amounts of regret. “I vote yes, he’s in,” he groaned, standing only through sheer willpower. Ai looked ready to faint when Rin put a hand on his shoulder in congratulations.

The Shark Leopards had been high on the charts since the start of the new season, and Republic City was abuzz with questions about the mysterious new member. Airbenders were only just being introduced into the sport, after all; Ai was one of the first. Sadly, all of that would come to an end if Ai failed to arrive in the next… Sousuke checked his pocket watch with a deep frown: two minutes.

Rin slammed his fist against the wall with a curse. “Fuck, Ai! I wonder if the monks finally caught him. They need to get those sticks out of their sorry asses and—”

The door to the locker room was literally blown open, Ai rushing in on a strong gust of wind. He ripped off his robes—first the black set, then those of the Air Nation—and within seconds was dressed in the red and black uniform of the Shark Leopards. “Sorry!” he panted, pulling on an arm brace, “I had trouble with a friend! And my glider broke! But I’m here now and we still have time, right?”

Sousuke nodded, stoic as ever. “Forty-eight seconds.”

Rin bumped Ai’s shoulder impatiently. “Which is right on time. Let’s get going.”

Sousuke took a deep breath. Rin cracked his knuckles. Ai tightened his gloves, then exclaimed with a shout: “Let’s go kick some ass!”

Sousuke hardly had time to worry about the consequences of Rin’s liberal use of language around the younger teen before they were walking out the doors and into the roaring of the crowd.

 

* * *

 

This, _this_ was what Rin lived for: the electricity in the air before a match, the determined looks on his opponents’ faces, the screaming elicited from a quick smirk in the crowd’s direction. He and Sousuke had been pro-bending for almost two years now, winning some and losing others, but the experience remained incomparable.

Pro-bending had been Rin’s dream ever since he was young. While his father had been alive, the pro-bending station had been one of the only stations playing on the radio in the Matsuoka household, and Rin had been only that much more determined to be talked about on that radio when his father died. Even after Haruka and then Makoto quit the junior bending league, Rin met Sousuke and powered on with him instead.

And it was worth it, he thought. Every burn on his fingers and impromptu dive into the out-of-bounds area led him here, digging his heels into the dirt of the arena, listening to his teammates getting into position as Rin eyed the firebender across from him like prey. To her credit, she hardly flinched at his sharp-toothed smile before the referee was calling for them to get ready.

In the next breath, the match had begun. The earthbender wasted no time in hurtling three discs at Ai, which, _honestly_ , was getting way too predictable. Rin wouldn’t let someone weak enough to get knocked out by that kind of attack on his team in the first place. Even as Rin traded blows with the other firebender, Ai shattered the discs with a sharp gust of wind and Sousuke sent the earthbender flying back a zone by taking advantage of the dust cover.

Rin punched a flame at the waterbender, trying to throw off her focus before she could prepare her attack, but in his distraction was thrown on his ass by the firebender. He scowled at her even as he retreated to zone two, and she gleefully returned his earlier grin.

The first match ended seconds after Rin and Ai teamed up to push the waterbender into the second zone, and Rin whooped when the lantern lit up red.

The second match saw Ai get pummeled into the third zone almost immediately; the other team had figured out that he was the heart of their defense, and once Ai was knocked off his feet, it made it easy for them to push him back. Sousuke and Rin viciously ended the attack before Ai could get dropped into the water, and a series of quick blows from both of them allowed Ai to step up to zone two as all three of their opponents retreated back from zone one.

Only a minute in, and this round was already sizzling with more tension than the last. The audience was eating it up; distantly, Rin heard the shocked gasps when Sousuke was suddenly pushed into zone two, and the excited screaming as Rin dodged a clay disc and used the same momentum to fire the other waterbender into zone three. Some might have found it distracting, Rin mused, but for him, the audience reactions were his fuel.

Their opponents focused everything they had on Rin, trying to take away his place in zone one so they could move up, but as he wove his way through attacks and listened to the audience move to the edges of their seats, he only grinned wider. Gusts of air and bursts of water rushed past him to volley with the other team, drawing the attention away from Rin as much as they could.

When the thirty second warning sounded, Rin could hardly find the time to attack at all between avoiding attacks that would have broken his ribs without his padding. If they knocked him out of zone one now, there wouldn’t be enough time to push them back to zone two after they advanced, and they would win the round. Defending against a knockout in the third round would be hard enough without the threat of not being able to defend territory on top of that.

A clay disc finally hit its mark, bruising Rin’s ribs, but to his surprise, he wasn’t pushed back by it. Before he could regain his rhythm, water was hitting him square in the chest with the strength of a fire hose, but when he still wasn’t moved, Rin realized what was happening. He turned to smile at Ai, even as his teammate fired off another gust of air at his back to keep him upright. The bell was rung, and the second match ended without Rin ever leaving the first zone. Another lantern lit up red.

And now they arrived at Rin’s favorite part of any pro-bending fight: the no-holds-barred third match, where the other team fought with all they had for a knockout to win. Even when the Shark Leopards were in the lead like this, they always aimed for that third round knockout, too. When only one team was fighting to knock their opponents out, especially with the added desperation of two lost rounds, that team almost always ended up winning.

Obviously, Rin couldn’t let that happen. The Shark Leopards didn’t just _not lose_ , they _won_.

A few quick gestures signalled that the third match would be one of team attacks for the Shark Leopards, and their opponents hardly even knew what hit them. Sousuke and Ai, both of whom were bending elements that were allowed headshots, had the other team dizzy enough for Rin to easily punch and kick blasts that knocked them off their balance. Hardly a minute and a half into the match and they were teetering on the edge of the third zone, while Rin and Sousuke stood tall in the second and Ai in the first.

Ai, now the focus of their opponents’ attacks and significantly more flexible than Rin, made a beautiful show of twisting, jumping, and ducking that was almost like a dance. Beside him, Sousuke cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow when he had Rin’s attention. The firebender glared back, only blushing a little. A _little_ , okay?

Never one to waste time, Sousuke signalled the attack plan to him, and in the next moment fire was nipping at the opponents’ feet while water relieved them of the rest of their balance and sent them into the pool below. With ten seconds to spare, the knockout lantern lit up red and the crowd exploded with cheering.

Before Rin could even recover his breath, Ai was landing gracefully in front of him and Sousuke was clapping his shoulder in congratulations. The announcer’s megaphone and the deafening noise of the crowd made it impossible to exchange any sort of words, but Rin made up for it by tackling his teammates into a hug. Scrubbing away happy tears with the hand not trapped between Sousuke’s chest and Ai’s shoulders, Rin smiled widely. “We’re going to the semifinals, guys!”

* * *

 

“Haru,” Makoto called from his seat next to the radio, “Rin’s team won!”

Haruka stopped scrubbing tea trays and looked up, quirking a brow. “I guess I better get started on the flat cakes, then, before they use up all their energy demanding them from me.”

Makoto laughed, remembering a few of the skirmishes between Haruka and Rin the last time Rin won his match. Rin and Sousuke had made it a habit to stop by the tea shop to celebrate after a successful match; as long as Makoto promised his parents that he would stay and lock up for the night, they didn’t mind their son entertaining friends after closing time. Makoto and Haruka had met a fair few of their friends’ previous teammates this way. Haruka took issue with most of them, for some reason or another, but his initial assessments usually turned out to be right (much to Rin and Sousuke’s chagrin). Though their current teammate, Ai, seemed to be doing well with his rowdy new friends.

Not twenty minutes later, the victorious pro-bending team was barging through the doors to the cafe, shattering the tranquil silence with their loud chatter.

“Sorry we’re late,” Rin said with a broad smile as he sat himself down, clearly not sorry at all. “We ran into my old firebending mentor and his little brother-- apparently his bro’s a fan, so we signed some autographs for him. Man, I feel like a celebrity!”

“Don’t get too full of yourself,” Haruka interjected, emerging from behind the kitchen doors with a hot tray of cakes in his hands. “Your rankings last year were abysmal. You’re just lucky Aiichirou agreed to help you out.”

Makoto laughed apologetically, but noticeably didn’t deny it. “Haru and I listened to your match on the radio; you guys sounded amazing! We’ll have to buy tickets to a match one of these days, especially if you make it to the championships this year.”

“We’ll make it,” Sousuke said confidently. Haruka quirked a brow, prompting a scowl from Sousuke as he reached for another flat cake. “Oi, you don’t think we’ll be in the championships, Nanase?”

“I never said that.”

“I saw you raise your eyebrow at me.”

“Just wondering where you get the confidence to make such bold statements, is all.”

Makoto rubbed his face with his hands, and, after an exasperated sigh, quickly turned to Ai to start a new line of conversation. “So, Aiichirou, this is your first year pro-bending, right? What do you think?”

Ai turned his focus from the brewing argument to answer Makoto. “It’s great, honestly! I mean, it’s definitely different from anything on Air Temple Island, and everyone’s been so nice to me… I feel like I’m really getting to know Rin and Sousuke well, too! Um. Are they… always like that…?”

Makoto glanced over at Sousuke glaring at Haruka, who was ignoring him completely and cleaning a teacup, looking entirely too smug. Rin was obviously trying not to smile beside them. “Ah, sort of… We’re all friends, though! You should have seen them back in the pro-bending junior league; Haruka and Rin and Sousuke were always at each other’s throats.”

“You bend competitively?” Ai asked, surprised.

Makoto chuckled good-naturedly. “No, not for a while now. Haru and I quit years ago, but it’s how we met Rin and Sousuke.”

“Really? How old were--”

The tinkling of the doorbell interrupted Ai as the front entrance flew open. Two teenagers rushed in and frantically closed the door behind them, completely out of breath for a second. The small party in the tea shop stared at them curiously for a moment before the shorter of the two, a blond-haired boy, raised his head with a wide grin. “Sorry, sorry, everyone! Rei and I were kind of in a hurry, and this was the only place that hadn’t closed yet, so-- Oh, hey, Ai! Look, I made a new friend! So which one of these guys is your secret date, huh?”

Rin and Sousuke both choked on their tea and Ai turned as red as a beet. “Nagisa! I told you, it’s not like that! I didn’t sneak out here to go on a date!”

“Sure,” Nagisa winked at him before he seemed to notice everyone else. “Hi, everyone! I’m Nagisa, Ai’s friend, and this is my friend Rei! We’re running from the police.”

Now it was Rei’s turn to choke. “ _Nagisa_! You can’t just-- No we’re not! We’re not running from the police! I was out shopping, and he--”

“Details,” Nagisa said, waving a dismissive hand. “So, are you guys Ai’s friends?”

Makoto and Haruka exchanged a small nod, and Makoto poured two more cups of tea even as Haruka left to bring out the second tray of flat cakes.

****  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Standard disclaimer that although chapter 2 is on its way, my schedule is anything but reliable (thanks, art school) so no promises!


	3. Discovery of the Avatar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Haru is revealed, a number of people expect a very different announcement from him and Makoto, and things go from bad to worse with Rin.

The night ended late, after hours of friendly conversation and warm tea. Ai and Nagisa were the first to rush off, riding back to the island on Nagisa’s (“Cute...” “Really, Haru?”) eaglehawk, though only after Nagisa promised to come back soon, and Rei was quick to follow once he realized the time. Rin and Sousuke hung around for a bit longer, but the match had taken its toll on them, and Rin was practically asleep on the table by the time they left.

Since the next day heralded the start of their day off of work, Haruka went to sleep almost immediately after Makoto walked him home and said goodnight, eager to wake up early the next morning to practice his waterbending on the beach. It was a tradition he had upheld since he had first moved in with his grandmother, serving to clear his mind and let out his stress from the previous week. Makoto often came to watch, but this particular morning he was out grocery shopping at the seasonal market.

Despite the early hour, though, Haruka still managed to amass a small amount of children watching by the time he was done with his exercises. He crafted small ice blossoms for each of them, smiling slightly at their wide-eyed thanks, and tugged his shirt back over his head to walk home.

He was nearly back at his apartment when he heard something odd from the next alleyway, and he stopped for a moment to investigate. There was another thump, alongside the distinctive rock-grinding sound of earthbending, and then a muffled grunt. Haruka hurried down the alleyway, only to stop dead in his tracks as he turned the corner.

It only took Haruka a moment to take it all in-- Makoto on the ground with his groceries scattered around him and an arm raised in defense; the four men standing over him, three of whom were in earthbending stances; and, most importantly, the purpling bruise on Makoto’s chin.

He was on them in an instant, water flooding out of his satchel and moving to cover his arms as he ran. The first was caught by surprise, barely having time to let out a shocked yell before he was slammed harshly into one of the walls lining the alley. Behind him, another thief was punched in the gut by a slab of earth rising from the ground where Makoto kicked it, and Haruka let out a relieved sigh; Makoto wasn’t badly injured, then.

As Makoto moved to deal with two of the earthbenders, Haruka focused on the third earthbender and the nonbender, who had switched on an electric baton and was waving it menacingly at Haruka. “Look, kid,” the nonbender said arrogantly, “There’re four of us and two a’ you, and last I checked, a bag full of water ain’t gonna cut it against rocks and electricity. Why don’t you and your friend just give us your money and scram, yeah?”

Haruka didn’t bother to deign him with an answer, instead sending out a water whip to grab his ankles. Before he could yank the whip back and trip him, though, his own legs were suddenly encased in rock up to the shins. The earthbender smirked when Haruka shot him a glare. Out of spite, he made the nonbender fall on his back anyway.

He could call out to Makoto, he knew, to free him, but a quick glance at his friend informed him that if he interrupted Makoto’s focus he’d put Makoto at a disadvantage in his fight with the other two earthbenders. He would just have to deal with this on his own.

Haruka continued to bend as best he could with his feet trapped, weaving his water through legs and around arms in an attempt to keep the thieves from coming closer. If he had more water available to him this would be as easy as blinking, but as they were now, he was too far inland to call on much more. The earthbender put up a wall, then, and Haruka knew he couldn’t break past it without moving his feet. A quick sidestep from the earthbender had one of Haruka’s hands trapped alongside his legs, and before he could break free of it, his other hand was roughly grabbed by the nonbender holding the electric baton.

“Go on,” the nonbender said, nodding at his companion, “You help deal with the big guy. I can take care of this one myself.”

What happened next almost seemed to be in slow motion. At the same moment that the third earthbender stomped a spike of earth up from the ground and toward Makoto, Makoto had glanced at Haruka, trapped by the nonbender whose baton was getting closer and closer to his chest. Haruka took all of this in, too; and, just like he always had, he acted on instinct to protect Makoto.

In a split second, Haruka had twisted his hand from the man’s grip and grabbed the baton by its electric end. The nonbender’s shock hardly registered on his face before Haruka felt the electricity swirl through his stomach and surge into his other arm, which broke free of the rock easily and turned to aim the small bolt of lightning at Makoto’s attacker. Then with a downward motion of his arms, his legs were free, and Haruka wasted no time in sending the nonbender over the rooftops with a quick burst of wind. By the time the other two earthbenders turned their focus from Makoto, Haruka was already readying two punches of fire that had them scrambling to run in the opposite direction. Haruka panted and allowed himself a small, vindictive smile.

“Haru…?”

And, just like that, the smile was gone and Haruka’s heart had stopped. The adrenaline faded enough for Haruka’s shoulders to tense as he realized what he’d done. Around him were puddles and scorch marks and uneven earth, and behind him was Makoto, who had seen it all. Even as he heard loose rocks crunching beneath Makoto’s approaching footsteps, Haruka didn’t turn around.

“Haru… I thought you were a waterbender.”

Haruka nodded almost imperceptibly, unable to bring himself to move. “I am.”

“But you’re not just a waterbender, are you.” This was how Makoto talked to the twins when they were lying and he already knew the truth; he wanted Haruka to say it himself. This was a secret Haru had been hiding since he had moved to Republic City, though, and his fear won over everything else. His heart still felt as if it was stopped.

“My grandmother called me a prodigy,” Haru murmured instead, just loud enough for Makoto to hear him, “when I mastered the elements so young.” Makoto was right behind him, now, but Haru still couldn’t bring himself to turn around.

“Is she the only one who ever knew?” Makoto asked neutrally. Haruka couldn’t read his voice, so he just nodded again. “Isn’t there a council, though? For finding… you?”

“I was young when I moved here. My ties to the water tribe were overlooked when I moved in with my grandmother. I don’t think I was registered as a bender.”

“Because she was a nonbender?”

“Mm.”

They fell silent. Several blocks away, the murmuring of a crowd could be heard, and above them trilled a small parakeet-hare. Haruka wracked his mind for something, anything, to say to Makoto: about how he didn’t hide his secret because he didn’t trust Makoto, or how he wanted things to stay the same between them despite this, or how he’d much rather work in the Tachibanas’ tea shop than be the _Avatar_ , of all things, but nothing sounded quite right enough to slip past his lips.

After what seemed like an eternity, Makoto’s hand was cautiously encircling his wrist, and before Haruka could say a word of apology he was being turned around and pressed against Makoto’s chest. Haruka stood still as a statue as Makoto buried his face in Haruka’s hair.

“Haru,” Makoto said, voice muffled only slightly, “Thank you for telling me. And thank you for helping me fight those guys off, too. Four was a little much, even for me. I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

And, just like that, Makoto had dealt with each of Haru’s fears in that moment. Makoto wasn’t treating him any differently now that he knew, and all of a sudden Haruka could breathe again. His arms rose to hug Makoto back and he nestled his face just a little more into the warm crook of Makoto’s neck. “Thank you.”

Even without seeing his face, Haruka knew Makoto was smiling. “I’ll do anything for Haru. You know that.”

“I do.”

A few more long ( _too short_ ) seconds went by, and then Makoto was untangling himself and moving away. “Come on, then. Let’s pick up the groceries before Mom gets back and worries about us.”

Haruka’s heart sank when he realized that things were going to change, now. Even if he had wanted Makoto to keep it a secret, those thieves had seen, too. He’d have to approach the city council and be touted as a celebrity and a political symbol, and he wouldn’t be able to live in his small apartment by Makoto’s house anymore, and he’d have to forfeit his job serving tea--

“You know, Haru,” Makoto said playfully, bumping shoulders with him as they salvaged what they could of the vegetables, “I always wondered how you were able to keep the tea hot when you took so long to deliver it. Or how you could always cool your own tea off enough to drink it immediately without burning your tongue. Half _my_ tongue is probably scar tissue at this point from you convincing me that the tea wasn’t scalding anymore when mine still was!”

Haruka stowed away his thoughts on what would happen later and huffed out a laugh. “You should have checked first before taking a gulp.”

Makoto gave him a fondly exasperated smile as he picked up the last bag of groceries, and they began to walk home.

 

Surprisingly, the twins weren’t the only ones greeting them when they arrived at the Tachibanas’ apartment above the tea shop; Nagisa, curly hair tangled in a variety of Ran’s bows and ribbons, rose from the tatami floor to greet them as soon as they walked in. “Hi!” he chirped. “I had a bit of free time today, so I thought I’d stop by! Mako’s tea and Haru’s snacks are super good, and I wanted to talk to you more, anyway! Your siblings are super cute, by the way, Mako!”

Makoto chuckled, taking it all in stride. “It’s nice to see you again, Nagisa. Have you had breakfast yet? Haru and I were just going to make some eggs and rice.” The twins cheered at the prospect of food.

“I’d love some breakfast! You’re the best, Mako!”

“ _I’ll_ make the food,” Haruka corrected, starting to unpack the groceries. “Makoto, could you start boiling the water for tea?”

“Sure, Haru. Hey, Ren, Ran, did our parents say when they’d be back from the restaurant?”

“Dunno,” Ran said, but Ren quickly followed it up with, “Eleven!” Haruka did his best to relax the tense line of his shoulders, but his mouth still felt dry at the prospect of confessing to Makoto’s parents. It felt as though an axe was hanging above his head, inching downward with every passing second.

“So, Nagisa,” Makoto began as he filled a kettle with water to boil. He was the sort of person who genuinely enjoyed smalltalk as a way to get to know someone, a trait which Haruka had never shared. “What brings you to the mainland today? I’ve heard that most of the airbenders stay in the temple unless they’re on a mission.”

Nagisa let out a dramatic sigh. “Ai is out on a mission today, and without him the island is _so boring_ , Mako, you have no idea! I wanted to come back to the city during daytime, but I don’t know where anyone else lives, so I found this place again! Ran and Ren are great company,” he added, bringing a hand up to touch one of his many ribbons and winking at the twins.

Makoto smiled at the twins’ proud expressions. “I’m glad they were such good hosts. Have you known Aiichirou for a long time, then? I can tell you’re close.”

“ _Super_ close!” Nagisa affirmed, eyes sparkling. “Me and Ai were raised on the island together! We’re some of the youngest benders there, so we stick close! Well, most of the time. I had no idea where he was sneaking out to until I caught him last night.”

Listening from the kitchen, Haruka could guess Ai’s reasons as to not telling the rambunctious blond about his rule-breaking. Nagisa, while well-intentioned, _did_ seem to have a bit of an open-door policy regarding secrets. Makoto had probably come to the same conclusion, though of course he would be the last one to say anything about it. “That sounds like Haru and me,” he said instead. “We both grew up in this neighborhood. Haru’s apartment is just a couple blocks away from the shop, so we’ve always been close.”

“Really?” Nagisa said, surprise clear on his face. “For some reason, I thought that Haru lived with your family. You work so well together that I just assumed, I guess!”

Makoto blushed at the implication and let out an embarrassed laugh. “No, no, we’ve just known each other a long time. Even before he started working in the shop with my family, Haru and I were in the same junior pro-bending league. We both quit, eventually, but Rin --you met him last night-- still competes professionally. He and Haru were the best in our class, actually; he was devastated when Haru quit, though he does still rope him into unofficial matches sometimes.”

“Mm,” Nagisa nodded sagely. “Ai’s secret date. Well, maybe. Maybe Ai was actually sneaking out to meet Sou? Or… Wait! Maybe he’s secretly dating _both_ of them!”

“A-Ah,” Makoto stuttered, embarrassed again, this time on Ai’s behalf, “No, I’m pretty sure they just compete together--”

“Breakfast is ready.” Haruka set out the bowls and chopsticks, jolting Makoto into remembering the now-steaming kettle. Nagisa and the twins gave their enthusiastic thanks before digging in while Makoto quietly complimented Haruka’s (“delicious, as always”) cooking.

For his part, Haruka barely touched his food, the line of his back remaining taut as a bowstring throughout the meal. His stomach felt as though it was crawling up his throat, and he was so focused on concealing his anxiety that he missed the worried looks Makoto sent his way. Nagisa managed to keep up amiable conversation throughout the meal, even as Makoto fell quieter and quieter and Haruka stopped speaking at all beyond monosyllabic replies. If Nagisa sensed the change, he did his best to ignore it except to distract them with tales of his misadventures with Ai at the temple, easily drawing laughter from the twins. Haruka wasn’t sure if it was coincidental, or if Nagisa actually had more tact than he let on, but it was appreciated nonetheless.

Finally, at half past ten, Nagisa yawned contentedly and rubbed his stomach. “That was _so_ good, Haru, Mako! I’m so glad I found you guys again! I need to head back to the temple for meditation hour before the monks realize I’m gone, but I’ll definitely be back soon! Oh, and if you see Rei anywhere, tell him I said hi! I forgot to ask where he lives, haha…” Makoto smiled and agreed easily, and only appeared a little startled when Nagisa opened the window and jumped out with his glider. _Airbender. Right._

As the twins wandered outside to play, Makoto refilled his and Haruka’s cups with tea to sip on while they waited in a loaded silence.

 

* * *

 

“So what’s this about, Makoto?” Mrs Tachibana asked good-naturedly from her place on the couch. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this nervous in years.”

“Since your first junior tournament,” Mr Tachibana added. They were both smiling and eager to hear the ‘important news’ their son and his friend had urgently guided them to the living room for.

Makoto felt Haruka shift next to him, brushing their shoulders together. If Makoto was nervous, he could only imagine how Haruka was feeling in that moment. How do you tell someone you’re the Avatar? The thought was still strange to Makoto, that his taciturn friend that had been by his side since childhood was such an important figure all this time. His thoughts and emotions were a complete mess that had only gotten worse once Nagisa and the distraction he provided left.

A part of him felt betrayed that Haruka hadn’t trusted him with such an integral part of his identity, though rationally he understood that he just hadn’t wanted to be treated differently by making a big deal out of it. Another part was filled with complete awe; his best friend was the _Avatar_ , the reincarnation of hundreds of world-changing figures, the person destined to right the world in times of unbalance. Makoto knew enough to not openly express that awe to Haruka, of course, lest he alienate him during what must be a nerve-wracking time in his life, but he couldn’t help but steal glances here and there, almost expecting to see someone other than the friend he had thought he knew inside and out.

Haruka relied on a sense of stability, though, especially during times of change, and Makoto was determined to provide it for him to the best of his ability. If that meant concealing his mixed feelings for the time being, then so be it.

Mrs Tachibana laughed, ending the prolonged silence. “Oh, come now,” she said. “It can’t be that bad. We have our guesses, of course, but we would still appreciate--”

“I’m the Avatar,” Haruka blurted out, apparently finished building up his courage. The room fell silent. Makoto’s parents stared up at him from the couch with wide eyes, grins disappearing in less than a second.

“Oh,” Mrs Tachibana breathed. “That is… not what I thought.”

“Is this a recent discovery?” Mr Tachibana asked.

Haruka shook his head, refusing to meet their eyes.

“Haruka…” Mrs Tachibana said. That was the only warning he got before Haruka was being enveloped in a warm embrace for the second time that day. Makoto could see his father smiling at them, and chuckled a bit once he noticed Haruka’s shocked expression. Mrs Tachibana stood back after a moment, but she kept her hands on Haruka’s shoulders as she collected her thoughts. “The world thinks you don’t exist, you know,” she continued. “You’re going to have a lot of work ahead of you these next few months. But I want you to always know, Haruka, that when you’re ready to return, you’ll always have a place in our shop.”

Haruka didn’t trust his voice not to waver, so all he could do was nod, hoping that she understood the extent of his gratitude.

 

* * *

 

“Did you hear that rumor about--”

“The Avatar? Yeah, I did.”

“...So? What do you think about it? I mean, wouldn’t it be so cool if the Avatar was living in Republic City? They could be anyone!”

“Nah, I don’t believe it. Wouldn’t the council have found them years ago? Plus, I heard the guy that started the rumor’s just a crook, ex-triad or something. He was probably just trying to save face after he got beat up.”

“Jeez, way to bring down the mood. I, for one, think it would be pretty neat if it was true.”

“The city council’s meeting this morning, aren’t they? We’ll hear an announcement soon either way.”

Haruka forced himself to release a shaky breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as the voices faded back into the crowd. No matter how long he spent staring at the entrance to the council building, he didn’t feel any more prepared for what he knew had to happen. Sensing his friend’s unease, Makoto squeezed Haruka’s shoulder in silent reassurance. After one final glance around him, doing his best to catalogue his last ordinary day, Haruka ascended the stairs to the doors of City Hall, followed by Makoto and his parents.

Once they were inside, Mrs Tachibana took over, well-accustomed to Haruka’s reluctance to speak to strangers. She was quick to close the distance between the entrance and the reception desk, startling the secretary with her determined look. “We need to see the councilmembers, please.”

“I-- Sorry, there’s a council meeting right now. Do you have an appointment--?”

“No,” Mrs Tachibana said, unmoved, “but it’s important.”

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t--”

“Haruka.” And suddenly all eyes were on Haruka, despite his being half-concealed behind Makoto after a minute of unconsciously inching toward safety. Mrs Tachibana’s voice was a thousand times more gentle than her tone with the secretary as she asked, “Could you please…?”

Haruka nodded, stepping out from his half-hidden spot and keeping his eyes firmly on the marble ground. Calling forth the water from his satchel, he shaped it into a sphere before adding small rings of fire and compressed air. It was much more showy than practical, but it did the trick. The secretary stared at the spinning elements in his palm until a polite cough from Mr Tachibana brought her back to the present.

The secretary blinked. “Right this way,” she said, and without any further ado their small party was walking down the long hallway leading to the council room. Makoto nudged Haruka’s side, making sure he caught his reassuring smile. _I’m here._

Haruka barely had time to return a small smile of his own before the doors to the council room were creaking open. The council members and the small number of spectators in the public seating area looked up at the interruption. “Excuse me,” the chairwoman said to the farmer currently at the stand. Then, louder: “I’m sorry, but we are not officiating any weddings today.”

A couple of the spectators snickered. “I wish,” Haruka thought he heard Mrs Tachibana mutter, but he was too embarrassed to acknowledge it. He was willing to bet Makoto’s ears had already turned red as beets, though he didn’t move from Haruka’s side.

“Ma’am,” the secretary cut in, grabbing Haruka’s wrist and pulling him forward, “This boy is the Avatar.”

The room erupted into sound, ranging from shouts of disbelief to whoops of joy to demands of proof. It was completely overwhelming, and Haruka balked at the thought that this could be what the next who-knows-how-many years of his life look like. It was only the banging of the gavel accompanied by the chairwoman’s demand for “ _Silence_!” that brought the room mostly back under control.

“What is your name, boy?” the Fire Nation representative asked.

“Haruka Nanase,” Haruka answered as clearly as he could.

“That’s a water tribe name if I ever heard one,” the Earth Kingdom representative said with a wry grin. “The next Avatar _was_ supposed to be a waterbender.”

“But how did he escape anyone’s notice? The White Lotus is supposed to--”

“His parents moved him here when he was young,” Mrs Tachibana said, interrupting another council member. “He was never registered as a waterbender because he lived with his grandmother, who was a non-bender.”

“And you never thought to bring this supposed Avatar to our attention before today?” one of the Water Tribe representatives asked, clearly suspicious.

“They only found out yesterday,” Haruka said defensively. He didn’t want the Tachibanas to be blamed for choices that were his. “I decided long ago to keep my abilities a secret.”

“Why on earth would you do that?” one of the spectators asked incredulously. “You’re the _Avatar_.”

His momentary courage fled him completely, and Haruka only barely mumbled, “I wanted to be normal.”

The other Water Tribe representatives guffawed. “Well,” he said, “A fine job you’re doing so far.”

“Enough,” the chairwoman announced, her authoritative voice silencing the growing noise in the room once again. “What’s done is done. What we need to focus on now is making the announcement to the general public, and, afterwards, organizing the Avatar’s upcoming diplomatic journey. The nations will expect proof, and political leaders will want to be seen having the support of the Avatar. Mr Yuko, I’m afraid the Council will have to revisit your case at a later date.”

The farmer nodded dumbly, clearly having forgotten all about his case in the chaos. He exited the stand and walked out into the grand hallway without any fuss, his few spectators following after stern glances from the guards. Finally, the secretary tailed them out, shutting the doors behind her.

The chairwoman gestured to the now-vacant seats in front of her. “Let’s begin. It seems we have much to discuss.”

 

In the end, public announcements over the radio beginning immediately the next morning were decided upon by the council, followed by an official introduction to the general populace in the evening.

Haruka’s input was not needed, nor was it really requested at all, though he didn’t mind. Instead, he was planning a much more private but just as necessary announcement to someone else after the council let out.

 

* * *

 

_One, two._ Balls of fire hurtled towards their targets, hitting them dead center despite the targets’ jerky dodging mechanism. _One, two, three-four-five. One_ \--

The sound of the doors to the training center opening caught Rin’s attention. He paused his routine, taking the chance to wipe the sweat from his brow and take a drink from his bottle of water. “Oi,” he called out, turning to face his guest, “I still have the room for another half hour.”

“Rin, it’s just me,” answered the intruder.

Rin grinned, his annoyance dissipating completely. “Haru! I was actually looking for you earlier today, but you weren’t home. Here to duel? It’s been a while, and I bet you’re getting rusty.” Haruka stepped into the training room, the overhead lights illuminating his troubled expression. Rin’s grin turned to a frown when his friend didn’t rise to the bait like he usually did. “Hey, Haru, what’s wrong? I guess we don’t have to duel if you don’t want to…”

Haruka shook his head. “It’s not that. I… I actually have something I need to tell you. It’s important,” he added, noticing Rin about to interrupt.

A million thoughts ran through Rin’s head in that moment, all focused on Haruka. For Haruka to seek him out like this was weird enough, and then add that to his reluctance to duel… Despite himself, Rin found himself recalling stupid, _stupid_ fantasies from his time in the junior bending league when Haruka would smile at him after a successful dual attack, or when Rin would forget his water bottle and Haruka would offer his. Rin thought he’d gotten rid of those feelings a long time ago, but here, with just him and Haruka in this weird atmosphere, they seemed to be surging back to the forefront of Rin’s mind.

“Well, come on, then,” Rin said, faking a laugh he didn’t feel. “I don’t have all night.”

Haruka crossed his arms, fingers nervously clutching at his sleeves. “Rin… You’re one of my best friends, and nothing will change that for me. I just-- I wanted to tell you this myself, before you heard it from someone else.”

Rin swallowed and nodded, afraid that saying anything might change Haruka’s mind. He looked ready to bolt, despite his determined tone of voice.

Haruka exhaled and finally met Rin’s eyes with his own startlingly blue ones. “Rin,” he said, “I’m the Avatar.”

The ground fell out from under Rin’s feet, the air sucked out from his lungs. _The Avatar_ . _Haru is…_ Suddenly every practice match, every duel, every interaction with Haruka took on a new light. Rin had always prided himself on standing toe-to-toe with Haruka, the so-called waterbending _prodigy_ , had always believed them to be on relatively even footing. Haruka had been Rin’s goal, growing up-- if he could just surpass Haruka, Rin would be that much closer to achieving his dream of going pro. And now… he realized that he and Haruka had _never_ been even. Rin hadn’t even been _close_.

“Rin…?” Haruka’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

A wave of fury washed over Rin, bringing with it an intense clarity. “Duel me,” Rin said, tone cold despite how hot he felt in his anger.

Haruka blinked at the sudden change. “Rin, what--?”

“ _Duel me_ ,” Rin ground out.

Haruka frowned, but didn’t protest again, slowly shifting into a dueling stance. Rin positioned himself similarly across the room. “Standard rules. First to tap out loses. Beginning on my mark.” Rin closed his eyes and took a breath to center himself. When he opened them, his gaze fell on Haruka, and he yelled “ _Go_ ” even as he charged toward his opponent.

Haruka barely had time to take a breath before he was ducking a ball of flame and calling water out of his satchel to block another. Rin was relentless in his attacks, sending out wave after wave of fire, and Haruka could only try to defend himself against them. A sort of ferocity fueled Rin, making his flames bigger, hotter, and less precise than Haruka had ever seen them before. It scared Haruka; this was a side of Rin that was completely unknown to him.

As competitive as he was, Rin’s fire had never felt like this before, at least not to Haruka. It had always had a sense of warmth to it, something to curl up next to in winter. _Rin_ had always been warm like that. He was the type of person who read romance novels, and waxed poetic about flowers, and cried when he opened gifts on his birthday every year.

Now, though, Haruka was struggling to keep up. His limited water supply wasn’t helping, turning to steam with every new collision. He was only able to call back so much water from the quickly-drying air. Had this been any other duel, Haruka might have pulled in as much water as he could to go on the offensive with water whips, but as it was, he was spending too much of his supply creating shields against what seemed like an endless barrage of heat.

The match barely lasted ten minutes. One misplaced step had Rin looming over him, fist drawn back to execute what might have been a crippling blow in a real fight. Haruka was quick to tap out, but for one terrifying second, it looked as if Rin wasn’t going to stop. The fear passed as quickly as it came, however, and Rin relaxed his stance.

Haruka was relieved at the outcome; victories always put Rin in a good mood. Now, perhaps, he would be more willing to sit down and talk, like Haruka had wanted when he sought him out. He could stand a little of Rin’s gloating if it meant an end to the oddly hostile mood surrounding him.

A choked laugh caught his attention, and Haruka’s short-lived relief was gone. “I can’t believe this,” Rin muttered, a little hysterical. “Even now…”

“Rin,” Haruka said, attempting a small smile, “You won this time. Good match.”

Rin whirled around to face him, and Haruka took an involuntary step back at the manic gleam in his eyes. “Even now,” Rin continued, “you’re _still_ holding back when you fight me! Did it amuse you to let me think we were equally skilled? Were you just _entertaining_ me, all these years?”

Haruka was stunned. “What? Rin, that’s not--”

“Again,” Rin snarled, cutting him off. “Duel me again, and stop playing with me. Use everything you know.”

Haruka felt trapped; he was afraid of what would happen if he fought Rin again, but if he left now, Rin would take it as an insult against his abilities as a bender. Even worse than that would be if he _let_ Rin win; Rin would be able to tell immediately, and that insult would be unbearable to his pride. Every option ended badly for them both.

An angry yell brought him out of his thoughts as Rin made the choice for him, the abrupt attack drawing a startled sound from Haruka as it singed the left side of his shirtsleeve. Realizing he was backed into a metaphorical corner, Haruka took a shaky breath. Fine, then. Rin would get the duel that he wanted.

The next attack was blocked by one of the training room discs, which was then hurtled at Rin’s chest. Rin dodged, but only barely, kicking into a handstand and then back onto his feet. The resulting flames were redirected by an upwards gust of air, accentuated by a spin. Haruka then used the momentum to propel himself into position for a fiery jab that Rin canceled out with his own flame.

The tide of the duel had completely shifted since their first round, leaving Rin on the defensive. Despite his relative inexperience in bending the elements one after another, Haruka found that with what little practice he did have, coupled with the suddenly plentiful resources at his disposal, dueling Rin became a thousand times easier. For Haruka, this battle was a very literal trial-by-fire testing abilities he had been able to learn only through observation during his time in the junior league. A small, unattached part of him was selfishly proud; imagine what he could do once he had trained under elemental _masters_ …!

At the forefront of Haruka’s mind, however, was concern. As the minutes dragged on with Rin slowly but surely losing ground, Haruka could sense the mounting frustration and desperation in Rin’s attacks. The same desperation was reflected on Rin’s ever-open face; he had never been capable of hiding his emotions away, and, like always, they shone through clearly in his narrowed eyes and gritted teeth. The angry erraticism of his movements only served to let Haruka pin him that much quicker, decisively ending the match.

That terrible false laughter rang out again, confirming Haruka’s worries about this duel. “I knew it,” Rin said, a sad, awful smile on his lips. This close, Haruka could see the wetness of his eyes; he used to lightheartedly tease Rin about being a crybaby, but this felt different. “I never even stood a chance, did I.”

“Rin--” Haruka began, cutting himself off as he watched Rin’s melancholy rapidly morph into a searing anger.

“Don’t you _dare_ talk down to me!” Rin shouted.

Haruka stepped back in alarm. “I’m not--”

“Just _stop_ ! Stop acting like-- like you _care_ , like we’re _friends_ \--”

“Of course we’re friends,” Haruka said, shocked. “Rin, you’re one of my _best--_ ”

His reassurances fell completely flat as Rin’s expression closed off even more. “And you didn’t tell me you were the _Avatar_?”

“No one knew!” Haruka shot back defensively. “I didn’t _want_ anyone to know! I only revealed myself because Makoto--”

“Of course,” Rin scoffed. “Of _course_ it was Makoto.”

The sudden turn in the conversation left Haruka feeling cold with dread. “What do you mean?” he asked, slowly, carefully.

“It’s _always_ Makoto with you, Haru! Makoto this, Makoto that. Even when he’s not here, he might as well be! He was the first person you told, wasn’t he.”

“Rin, stop.”

“He _was_. Am I always just an afterthought for you, Haru?”

“Rin--”

“You know, back when I met you at the junior league, all these guys were telling me not to bother trying to be your friend-- that you were cold and thought you were above everyone else, and Makoto was the only one who’d put up with you. I told them they were wrong. And I genuinely thought I’d succeeded in making my way into your heart, even if it was just the littlest, most miserably tiny space. I should have known that a heart as small as _yours_ only has room for one person, and it sure isn’t _me_ \--”

“ _Stop_ !” Haruka yelled, interrupting Rin’s furious ranting. He _knew_ Rin didn’t mean it, that he was just saying all this because he was angry and feeling lied to and vulnerable, but that didn’t stop it from hurting all the same. He didn’t even notice he was crying until Rin gave him a surprised, puzzled look; this was the first time Rin had ever seen him cry, he realized. The thought only shamed him more; such callous words shouldn’t have affected him like this. He shouldn’t have _let_ them affect him like this. Haruka took a long, shaky breath. “Just… just stop, Rin, _please_.”

Rin deflated, righteous fury replaced by a deep hurt. “Get out,” he said, voice flat.

Haruka didn’t have to be told twice. Behind him in the ruined training room, Rin let out an angry, wordless yell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING.... I actually finished this chapter back in, like, November, but I was too nervous to actually edit/post it until now! For the record, though, I do have a complete outline for this story and intend to see it through. This story has existed in my head for over a year now; it's not going away any time soon.
> 
> Expect much more Rin & co. next chapter!  
> Until next time!!


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